Conventional store or retail catalogs typically contain advertisements for merchandise from a single merchant or from several retailers/merchants having a common product or product theme. Catalogs distributed for the purpose of mail order are generally distributed to customers having a previous buying history with the merchant and/or sent to mail recipients who financially or demographically are more likely to respond favorably to the merchant's product. With respect to the latter, the cost and time in connection with postage and shipping typically precludes a merchant from contacting/communicating with potential customers from all financial, geographic, racial and/or ethnic backgrounds. Without more data and information about the preferences and interests of mail recipients, a merchant has little choice but to distribute such communications to a large audience in an effort to reach those who may have a genuine interest.
This approach to advertising results in numerous unwanted/unsolicited mailpieces (e.g., catalogs, brochures, and other printed paraphernalia) being discarded without, in many instances, being opened/reviewed. It will be appreciated that this method of communicating depletes natural resources (e.g., wood for paper) and places an increased burden on the environment, e.g., filling landfills and taxing recycling efforts. Exacerbating these drawbacks and disadvantages are catalogs and brochures which advertise the full spectrum of a merchant's product line and, consequently, will almost assuredly, contain information that is not of interest to the mail recipient.
While, in the past, merchants/retailers were limited in their ability to acquire data concerning customer preferences (i.e., limited to historical data of a customer's purchases with a merchant), the Internet or World Wide Web has provided a powerful business tool useful for developing preference data and information. With the Internet's continuously improving capabilities, market research can be performed in a timely manner and with a far greater level of fidelity. As a result, such data can be made available to enterprises for the purpose of “targeting” their customer audience. The value of such data and information is dependent upon a myriad of factors, though, a principal driver is cost avoidance. That is, by avoiding the cost and time associated with mailing catalogs to disinterested recipients, significant savings are achievable.
Directly related to the use of the Internet for obtaining market data and information is the use of electronic mail communications to reach potential customers. The cost of such e-mail advertisements is a fraction of that associated with direct mailing, and, consequently, this medium of advertising has grown significantly. Ironically, this growth appears to be occurring in spite of other market data which supports the contrary. That is, advertising by direct mail produces a more favorable response (i.e., positive response) than e-mail or Internet advertising. Consequently, merchants are faced with the dilemma of choosing the medium, i.e., direct mail vs. e-mail, which will yield the most cost efficient solution. When choosing, the merchant must consider whether the cost saved by e-mail advertising will offset and/or outperform the increased revenues generated by direct mail advertising.
Therefore, a need exists for an economically viable method for direct mail communications and advertising which optimizes customer response.